Kelley Blue Book's website, kbb.com, is one of the leading online resources for car shoppers, and the company recently published its list of the

most-researched vehicles of 2011. The Honda Civic was the number one vehicle sought out on the site in 2011, followed by the Accord and the Toyota Camry.

There were a few larger vehicles such as the Ford F-150, which ranked fifth, and the Explorer at number 17, but the majority of the top 20 were smaller, more fuel-efficient and affordable vehicles.

"Luxury brands were hit hardest this year," said Arthur Henry , the manager of market intelligence for KBB. "Not one luxury vehicle made it on Kelley Blue Book's 2011 most-researched list. They simply didn't fit into many consumers' budgets, especially with the gas price hike earlier this year."

Drivers who are considering a luxury model for their next vehicle can purchase an auto warranty to save money on repairs and make sure their current car runs well until they're ready to purchase another one.